October 20, 2024, is World Osteoporosis Day.
Because the previous saying goes, sticks and stones could break your bones however neglecting your bone well being will harm you.
If it’s been awhile since you considered your bones, we get it. Bone well being is underrated. Nevertheless it’s additionally actually necessary. Let’s put it this fashion: You may’t do a lot with out a skeleton.
It’s particularly necessary for girls and other people assigned feminine at delivery to be proactive about bone well being as a result of osteoporosis, a illness that makes bones weak and brittle, impacts 10 million individuals within the U.S. and eight out of 10 of these are girls.
The bodily penalties of osteoporosis could be life-changing. A easy stretch, bend — even a cough — may end up in a fracture or damaged bone when you have osteoporosis. In truth, about half of all women over age 50 will break a bone sooner or later due to the illness.
Past breaks, osteoporosis also can have a major influence in your psychological well being.
Osteoporosis and despair
Along with bodily issues, osteoporosis has been linked to critical psychological well being points. Analysis exhibits individuals with osteoporosis are more likely to have depression in comparison with individuals who don’t have osteoporosis. In a single 2022 study of principally girls, a majority of individuals with osteoporosis had despair (86.9%) in comparison with 15.4% of the group who didn’t have osteoporosis.
Deborah T. Gold, Ph.D., professor emerita in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke College Medical Heart, has studied the connection between osteoporosis and depression for years. “Once I began doing the analysis, we discovered that individuals [with osteoporosis] who bought a fracture had been restricted in what they may do. It made them really feel previous — and it harm — and that led to despair,” Gold mentioned. “I do suppose normally despair is a results of the illness.”
Gold recalled a time when a examine participant began sobbing as she stuffed out her osteoporosis questionnaire. “It simply suggests how strongly it might have an effect on you,” she mentioned.
Melancholy and osteoporosis
Some researchers suppose the connection between osteoporosis and despair can go each methods. As in, despair may also be a threat issue for osteoporosis.
For one, analysis exhibits despair can improve cortisol (the stress hormone) within the physique, which may result in bone loss.
Therapy for despair might also have an effect on bone well being. Some antidepressants have been linked to a rise in bone loss and larger threat of fracture. One review discovered serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) had been related to a lower of bone mineral density. And an analysis of 23 research discovered that despair was considerably related to bone loss and an elevated threat of fractures.
Gold famous that threat elements similar to smoking, sedentary way of life and poor weight-reduction plan also can contribute to each despair and osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis and despair
Though osteoporosis is a illness that may occur at any age, people who find themselves postmenopausal are at excessive threat.
Estrogen — and an absence of estrogen — has an influence in your bones as a result of estrogen performs a giant position in sustaining bone construction. Throughout menopause, when estrogen ranges decline, your bones develop into weaker. You’re most in danger for osteoporosis after menopause when estrogen ranges keep constantly low.
Fluctuating estrogen ranges that happen in the course of the menopausal transition (perimenopause) additionally impact the mind. Along with temper modifications, research exhibits a decline in estrogen impacts serotonin ranges — the texture good hormones — which may result in despair.
Read: In an Aging America, Osteoporosis Is a Looming Public Health Crisis >>
Prevention and osteoporosis self-care
The connection between despair and osteoporosis is just like the hen or the egg debate. Whereas analysis is ongoing, it’s a good suggestion to inform your healthcare supplier about your threat elements for each situations — particularly in case you’re going by menopause.
“[Osteoporosis and depression] are each ailments, they usually each could be handled,” Gold mentioned. “I feel, nonetheless, that for individuals with out despair now, getting management over osteoporosis will assist them keep away from despair sooner or later as a result of osteoporosis makes you’re feeling like you haven’t any management anymore. And that is the form of factor that may result in despair.”
One approach to maintain osteoporosis at bay is thru weight-reduction plan and getting the correct quantity of calcium and vitamin D. (Notice: When you’re taking a calcium complement, take vitamin D together with it as a result of your physique wants vitamin D to soak up calcium.)
Weight-bearing train (low-impact aerobics, dancing, strolling, and so forth.) can be essential for wholesome bones and muscle power. “Some individuals hate it, however in case you perceive how a lot it might assist, you would possibly spend money on it extra,” Gold mentioned. Per science, one review discovered that train was an efficient approach to enhance bone mineral density in individuals with osteoporosis.
Along with a nutritious diet and train, self-care choices for osteoporosis can embody:
- Quitting smoking
- Limiting alcohol
- Taking prescribed medicines for bone well being
- Safeguarding your property to prevent falls
- Sustaining an energetic social life
Watch: How to Avoid Falls in Your Home >>
Each osteoporosis and despair ought to be evaluated individually by completely different healthcare suppliers. Speak to your supplier about getting a bone density test (DEXA scan) to test your bones and the right way to get screened for despair in case you’ve observed modifications in your temper.
“, like some other illness, it’s as much as the person to take duty,” Gold mentioned. “And if girls do not take duty for themselves and their issues — no one else will.”
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